a sewing and knitting blog

Menu

Post navigation

What did I get myself into?!

A few months ago the grandfather of one of my day care children came to visit from Minnesota. While he was picking up his granddaughter from day care, he was thrilled to find out that I sew. He had been looking for a seamstress willing to tackle a “coat project” for his dog. He said he hasn’t been able to find just what he’s looking for in a store. Though I’ve never made a coat for a dog, I said I was willing to give it a shot.

I gave him my contact info and asked him to send me the details. He texted me and asked what info I needed. I requested the dog’s measurements, fabric choice or his own fabric, and a sketch of the design he was looking for. Then I patiently waited for this to arrive in the mail:

This is all I got along with a deposit check for “incidental” expenses and a request for a cost estimate.

Uhm… I’m stumped.

I texted him and asked what he was expecting me to do with this super stretchy mesh stuff. He basically wants me to make a spandex-y body suit for his dog – covering the body, legs and tail but leaving the head and paws out. Why? To combat shedding. He expects that he can keep a yellow lab from shedding so much by containing it’s fur in mesh?! And he said no lining. Questions of how this might actually work in within the confines of physics aside, how am I going to go about constructing this thing?

It obviously needs an opening other than the neck hole and paws, but where, what, and how? And how does he think he’ll pull the tail cover part over the tail going against the grain of the hair? What about an opening for her to potty? Or is he expecting to take this body suit off every time the pup needs to pee?

I.

NEED.

HELP.

Please give me your input! Any and all ideas welcome – even if you don’t sew – because all I can say is, WHAT DID I GET MYSELF INTO?!

Related

7 thoughts on “What did I get myself into?!”

oh my goodness !!! ( my first reaction would be heavily censored !!!! )
firstly kudos to you for kindly taking up this project, : )
if like myself you were thinking , a doggy coat , o’k’ haven’t made one before , but how hard can it be ? also it would be something to keep the pooch warm, no ? well NO !!
what is this granddad on ?
if you are screaming , now, I am right there with you.
all I can suggest is, choices; either spend forever coming up with a solution to make the garment with all the horrendous problems this would entail ( hehe excuse the pun ),
OR diplomatically let grandpa know this is not going to work ( maybe it actually falls into the cruelty to animals arena ? I mean dogs have to shed, just the thought of being covered up like that makes me all squirmy, we have a large short haired lab x, she sheds, I vacuum, hey, that’s life )
I am opting for brushing the dog and one of those cool new floor sweepers ( which my ma-in-law swears by for picking up long pussycat hair from her carpets )
I shall watch this space , and hope for better solutions to come through for you , : )
best regards x

And here I thought I was challenged with learning how to make kids’ clothes. At least they don’t shed…much. I think my first response would be to kindly decline the job, with the reason Shelley gave: a dog that sheds has got to shed. Just vacuum more and brush him more. Our Spencer (a long-hair dachshund) leaves hair around like he’s going bald, so I just vacuum. I’ve got a feeling if he tries to strait-jacket that dog, he’s gonna get a BIG surprise.

Oh dear. I think, (obviously, if you read my blog) that animals with their own wardrobe are adorable! Kitty has quite an extensive wardrobe. BUT, to want a garment to stop shedding? This worries me. Animals shed. I think you just have to deal with it. I hope that this person doesn’t get upset when this project fails to achieve the goal and just loves and accepts the dog. Good luck!

Not sure why you’d have a dog if you didn’t like shedding, but anyway. I found this site with lycra dog sits – yes lycra – might be helpfulhttp://www.k9topcoat.com/product.asp?specific=jnnproo4
If you google ‘lycra suit for dogs’ you’ll see videos too.
Good luck, Deb xx